Oral Health in Children With Mental Health Problems

Until recently, the connection between mental and oral health has been overlooked despite the importance of oral health to overall well-being. Oral health is closely linked to chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Hence, oral health should be a part of holistic health care and not be separated from physical or mental health.¹

Dental health significantly impacts overall health and quality of life, influencing children's development of physical and social functions, such as eating, speaking, smiling, and socializing. Dental diseases can result in pain; negative emotions, such as shyness and unhappiness; lowered self-esteem; and disruptions in daily activities, such as attending school.² Severe tooth decay in young children correlates with underweight, stunted growth, irritability, an increased likelihood of hospitalization, sleep disturbances, and reduced learning capabilities.³

Children with disabilities are particularly susceptible to oral disorders. In clinical practice, oral health care for patients with mental illness is frequently neglected despite their heightened vulnerability to poor oral health and dental neglect.⁴ Numerous studies have indicated that psychiatric patients face increased dental problems and diseases due to patient-related factors such as lifestyle choices (eg, smoking, alcohol and drug use, poor diet, lack of oral hygiene motivation) and service-related factors, such as inadequate dental clinics, financial barriers, limited access to care, lack of psychiatric attention, and side effects of psychotropic medications, such as xerostomia.⁵

Poor oral health can affect mental health treatment, and mental disorders can interfere with dental care by affecting patients' behaviors and attitudes toward oral care. Conversely, oral symptoms, such as facial pain or tooth erosion, can indicate underlying mental health issues.⁶

Understanding the unique characteristics of oral diseases associated with various mental health problems in children is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. This review will explore the distinct oral health problems observed in children with diverse mental health conditions.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Oral Disease

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders that cause functional impairment, with their onset during the developmental period. NDDs include several disorders, such as intellectual developmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other communication disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), neurodevelopmental motor disorders, cerebral palsy, and specific learning disorders.⁷

Global Developmental Delay

Children with global developmental delay...